Tuesday’s edition of Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport featured a story on plans from both AC Milan and Inter to build a new joint stadium by 2023. This would mean a move away from the historic San Siro, and the article noted the history of this iconic stadium. 

Opened on September 19, 1926, the San Siro was initially made up of four straight stands. The first match was a “friendly” derby encounter between the two sides in which Inter won 6-3. 

In 1955, the stadium was remodeled to a two-tier, rounder shape, accommodating 100,000 supporters. This was eventually reduced to an 85,000 capacity due to safety measures. 

Today’s @Gazzetta_it talks about a project to build a new joint stadium for both Milan and Inter, but also notes that the Mayor Beppe Sala is opposed to abandoning San Siro altogether. pic.twitter.com/HH5eWxx57h

— Chloe Beresford (@ChloeJBeresford) March 27, 2019

As with many others in Italy, the hosting of the Italia 1990 World Cup saw another remodel to the iconic structure we know today, this time adding a third tier and making it a covered all-seater. On June 8, 1990, the first match of the tournament was played between Argentina and Cameroon.

An investment of €32,500 saw San Siro host the 2016 Champions League final, in which Real Madrid beat neighbors Atleti 5-3 on penalties. 

The future of the stadium may be uncertain, but its historical significance can never be taken away.

Chloe Beresford specializes in Serie A for a number of outlets and can be found on Twitter and on Facebook via her page CalcioByChloe.